Kolohe Andino Doubles Up At The Vans Pier Classic

Kolohe Andino Doubles Up At The Vans Pier Classic

17-year old Kolohe “Brother” Andino used futuristic surfing and heaps of stamina to win the ASP 4-star Vans Pier Classic and the Vans Pro Junior. The teenage phenom pulled in a whopping $16,000 with his two wins and secured 1,000 One World Ranking points. Kolohe kicked off the final with a massive frontside air that netted him an eight and never looked back. “I don’t really know how to comprehend this,” said a dazed Andino. “I surfed so many heats today it seemed like on big heat all day. I can’t believe it.” Kolohe was either completely unsurprised after the win or too tired to give a decent quote.

Regardless of his post heat interview, it was a coming out party for the much-publicized San Clemente surfer and proved to all that he can compete, and more importantly, win, against the world’s best. What’s next for Kolohe now that he’s proven he can win a big event? Who knows? The sky is the limit for Kolohe and the World Tour is only a year or two away.

Final Highlights

Adriano De Souza caught a wave with just over two minutes left and appeared to do enough to get the score he needed to overtake Andino but the judges didn’t agree (or took his offense to the two claims Adriano did) and the World Tour standout was regulated to runner up.

Taylor Knox couldn’t keep up in the aerial department but his power gouges and style (he turned through the part of the wave where most hop) were enough to get him into the final where he finished third. He was riding a board he called “The Dagger” that looked pretty good under his feet. Of note as well is the age difference between Taylor and Kolohe…22 years!

Conditions

Besides Kolohe’s two wins, the other story is how good the wave were for nearly the entire event. For nearly a week, HB sucked in energy from both the Northern and Southern hemisphere, and peaks were breaking up and down the beach with the occasional barrel on offer as well. The final was held in pretty marginal conditions but to get a week of decent surf in California at this time of year is a feat of its own.

After a spectacular performance to take out the Vans Pro Junior, Andino followed up by winning the Vans Pier Classic by jumping out to an early lead, holding the position throughout the heat’s entirety to earn the victory over ASP World Tour surfers Adriano de Souza (BRA), 24, who finished runner-up, veteran Taylor Knox (Carlsbad, CA), 39, and Floridian Damien Hobgood (Satellite Beach, FL), 31, further establishing the young Californian’s name as one of the world’s most deadly up-and-coming professionals.

“I’m at a loss for words,” Andino said. “I believed in myself, but once I actually made all of the heats, I can’t believe it. All seven surfers that I surfed against in the Finals were amazing. I never even had time to get nervous because it feels like one big heat now.”

Andino, current leader on the ASP North America Pro Junior Series, took out a come-from-behind victory in the ASP 4-Star Vans Pro Junior. The talented regular-footer clawed his way back into the heat to overtake the early heat leader, Conner Coffin (Santa Barbara, CA), 17, notching a 6.93 and quickly following up with an 8.30 earned for a gigantic air-reverse on a righthand ramp to further his lead on the ASP North America Pro Junior Series Rankings.

“I’m stoked,” Andino said. “I was just stoked to be a part of these two finals. Conner (Coffin) had me in the beginning. I just got a little right and did an air. The guys were ripping.”

De Souza, who was a top performer throughout the entirety of the Vans Pier Classic, continued to improve on his scores again today before entering the final. The passionate Brazilian took out the highest single-wave score of the entire event, a 9.80 out of 10, for several ferocious frontside turns on a righthander before finishing the wave off with an air-reverse to solidify his position in the Final, but was unable to find the scores needed to surpass the young Californian despite a last-minute effort.

“It’s a little disappointing to come so close to the win but I’m really happy with my performance throughout this event,” De Souza said. “I was happy to surf Huntington in amazing waves all week and I just have to say congratulations to Kolohe (Andino). Unbelievable, he has been surfing so well. I’m happy I got second though, it’s been almost two years since I’ve made a podium. It’s a good taste and I’ve had a nice start to the year.”

Coffin, who launched out to an early lead in the ASP 4-Star Vans Pro Junior Final, was unable to put a stop to Andino’s mid-heat rampage, but the runner-up result moves Coffin to No. 2 overall on the ASP North America Pro Junior Series Rankings.

“My first wave was such a nugget and I was so surprised that it was so good that I totally farmed it,” Coffin said. “I could have won the heat on my first two waves. I’m definitely stoked to get second, but I would have really liked to win. It always hurts when you start strong and then you blow it, but it’s good for my rating.”

For highlights from the 2011 Vans Pier Classic presented by Jack’s Surfboards and Vans Pro Junior log on to www.vans.com/pierclassic. For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com or www.aspnorthamerica.org